Its Only Cricket

India set Australia a target of 413


Ponting-Chasing-Record.jpg How do you know someone was great? talk cricket and record books suggest Tendulkar & Bradman were best in batting business ever, Muralitharan & Shane Warne hold the world record for most wickets.

Similarly - who was the best captain ever, world wide, arguably, has to be someone who won most matches for his country. Even better if his team won all matches in a row, without losing or drawing any! well, the record rests with Steve Waugh & Ricky Ponting who both won 16 tests for Australia, consecutively.

Now Ricky Ponting's team, as I write this, have been given a fourth innings target of 413 by touring Indian team (who have already lost both previous tests) to win this third test match on a Pitch called Perth, known to be fastest & cracky cricket pitch in the world.

Can this aussie team do it? Motivation is certainly ain't missing..
Highest total ever chased at Perth in 4th inn = 342.
Important to note that in this chase for 17th win by Australia - overs are no problem. Wickets have fallen on packs here at Western Australia ground (Aussies were bowled out for 212 in 50 overs in first innings) and still over 200 overs to be bowled in this India vs Australia test match, although both teams have intentionally reduced to over rate around 11 or 12 over/hour. So, practically - some 180 overs should be bowled by India from here on, which gives Australia a asking run rate of only 2/over.

Meanwhile, the record for highest 4th innings chase in a test match by any team is 418, by West Indies at Antigua. see list. Best effort by Australia to win a test match by chasing a 4th innings total is 404 at Headingley but when at home (in Australia), record is 369 when Adam Gilchrist (149*) & Justin Langer (127) smashed Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar all around the park of Hobat in 2000. Aussies won that match by 4 wickets!




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